Leading the NHL franchise in goalscoring as an active player demands exceptional talent, consistent performance, dedication, and a lengthy career. While newly rebuilt teams may set a lower benchmark, young talents are paving the way toward Stanley Cup contention. However, this trend also means that many all-time leading scorers for these franchises have either moved on or retired. Currently, only six NHL teams have active players who top their franchise’s all-time goal-scoring list.
Here’s a ranking of the active leading goal scorers for all 32 NHL teams, ordered from highest to lowest. Note that only players currently active on their respective teams are considered. Unsurprisingly, the top spot belongs to:
Washington Capitals
Alex Ovechkin, 897 goals
Ovechkin, the Capitals’ captain, recently became the NHL’s all-time goals leader in the regular season and is approaching 900 goals. He’s just 43 goals shy of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s combined regular season and playoff record, with one year remaining on his contract.Pittsburgh Penguins
Sidney Crosby, 625 goals
Crosby’s contract extension covers the upcoming season. He is 66 goals short of Mario Lemieux’s franchise record of 690 goals, an achievable target.Los Angeles Kings
Anze Kopitar, 440 goals
Kopitar is the Kings’ all-time leader in games played with 1,454 and stands third on their goal list behind Marcel Dionne and Luc Robitaille.- Toronto Maple Leafs
Auston Matthews, 401 goals
Matthews has an impressive scoring rate of 0.64 goals per game, ranking seventh all-time in NHL history among players with over 100 career goals, and continues his pursuit of franchise records.
5 (tie). Dallas Stars
Jamie Benn, 399 goals
Among the few players who do not wear visors, Benn is close to reaching 400 career goals and holds the Stars’ franchise record for goals scored.
5 (tie). Edmonton Oilers
Leon Draisaitl, 399 goals
Draisaitl and teammate McDavid average 0.51 goals per game each, with Draisaitl having played more games. He recently won the Rocket Richard Trophy for the highest goal scorer.
Boston Bruins
David Pastrnak, 391 goals
Pastrnak is closing in on the franchise record, having scored 151 goals in the past three seasons at just 29 years old.Colorado Avalanche
Nathan MacKinnon, 367 goals
MacKinnon ranks fifth in franchise goals, second in points, and is on track to climb higher over the coming seasons.Tampa Bay Lightning
Nikita Kucherov, 357 goals
Kucherov leads the team in assists and sits fourth in goals. At 32, he’s working toward becoming the franchise’s all-time goal leader.Winnipeg Jets
Mark Scheifele, 336 goals
Scheifele holds the all-time scoring record for the Atlanta Thrashers/Jets 2.0 era but is behind the original Jets’ top scorer on combined franchise history.San Jose Sharks
Logan Couture, 323 goals
Couture has not played since January 2024 due to injury but remains the franchise’s active goal-scoring leader.Nashville Predators
Filip Forsberg, 318 goals
Forsberg leads the franchise’s active goal scorers by a significant margin.New York Islanders
Anders Lee, 289 goals
Lee became the active top goal scorer after Brock Nelson was traded and is not far from approaching the franchise’s all-time record.Florida Panthers
Aleksander Barkov, 286 goals
Barkov leads in numerous franchise categories, including goals, assists, and points, showcasing his all-around dominance.Carolina Hurricanes
Sebastian Aho, 283 goals
Aho is closing in on the franchise all-time goal record held by Ron Francis.New York Rangers
Mika Zibanejad, 250 goals
Zibanejad is among the Rangers’ top active scorers despite trades impacting the team.Detroit Red Wings
Dylan Larkin, 242 goals
Larkin trails far behind the franchise leader but is the team’s top active scorer by a wide margin.Montreal Canadiens
Brendan Gallagher, 239 goals
Gallagher ties for 15th on the team’s all-time scoring list and leads active players.Calgary Flames
Matthew Tkachuk, 215 goals
Tkachuk plays the longest in Flames history so far and continues to build his goal total.Philadelphia Flyers
Sean Couturier, 206 goals
Couturier is chasing franchise legend Rick Tocchet’s goal record.Vancouver Canucks
Brock Boeser, 204 goals
Boeser recently signed a long-term deal and is poised to surpass Daniel Sedin’s franchise goal record.Columbus Blue Jackets
Boone Jenner, 199 goals
Jenner is nearing the franchise’s all-time goal record held by Rick Nash.Ottawa Senators
Brady Tkachuk, 191 goals
At 26, Tkachuk is a strong contender to climb the franchise’s all-time scoring list.Minnesota Wild
Kirill Kaprizov, 185 goals
Kaprizov ranks 13th in NHL history for goals per game among players with over 100 goals, matching Brett Hull’s record.Buffalo Sabres
Casey Mittelstadt, 173 goals
Mittelstadt made headlines with a record-breaking shot distance last season.New Jersey Devils
Nico Hischier, 171 goals
Hischier leads the Devils’ draft class and outscored comparable players.St. Louis Blues
Brayden Schenn, 169 goals
Schenn is close to entering the franchise’s top 10 goal scorers.Vegas Golden Knights
William Karlsson, 161 goals
Karlsson became the franchise’s active goal leader after Marchessault’s departure.Seattle Kraken
Jared McCann, 118 goals
McCann is the team’s highest scorer in their short history.Anaheim Ducks
Troy Terry, 116 goals
Although other active players have more career goals, Terry is currently the Ducks’ active goal leader.Chicago Blackhawks
Connor Bedard, 45 goals
As a young talent on a rebuilding team, Bedard has plenty of time to rise in franchise ranks.- Utah Mammoth
Clayton Keller, 30 goals
Keller leads the franchise as the team adjusts from the Coyotes’ relocation.
Fan Take: This list highlights the dynamic nature of NHL franchises as they evolve and develop new stars, underscoring the importance of emerging talent in shaping team legacies. For hockey fans, it’s exciting to track these active leaders as they chase historic records, reflecting the sport’s rich past and promising future.
